793.94/10947
Press Release Issued by the Department of State on October 27, 1937
The American Consul General at Shanghai, Mr. Clarence E. Gauss, reported to the Department of State that on the afternoon of October 24 a party of about ten persons, including three American men and two American women, were horseback riding on Keswick Road, at the corner of that road and Great Western Road, close to the western boundary of the foreign protected area and in the British guarded sector, were machine gunned by an airplane stated to be a Japanese plane. One British soldier was killed. None of the party of riders was injured. Two of their horses were killed and two wounded.
Consul General Gauss immediately made oral representations to the Japanese Consul General, who expressed his sincere regret and stated that the authorities were investigating.
At Tokyo on October 25 Ambassador Joseph C. Grew orally communicated the facts set forth above to the Japanese Foreign Office and urged that measures be taken at once to safeguard against such attacks. The Foreign Office expressed regret and stated that it was awaiting results of an investigation being made by the Japanese Consul General with the collaboration of the Japanese military and naval authorities.
On October 26 Ambassador Grew received a note from the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, of which the following is a translation:
“Excellency: In the name of the Imperial Government I express regret that, on October 24, an airplane of the Imperial forces fired in error upon American nationals near the corner of Keswick Road and Great Western Road in Shanghai. The Imperial Government hereby makes known to Your Excellency that necessary measures are being devised to prevent the recurrence of incidents of this character, and that, after investigation, it will appropriately deal with those responsible for the incident under reference. It desires to add that it is prepared to make necessary compensation in respect of any injury which may have been incurred by your nationals.
“I avail myself et cetera, Koki Hirota, Minister for Foreign Affairs”.
Ambassador Grew has been instructed to express to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs the appreciation of this Government for the prompt expression of regret offered by the Imperial Japanese Government.